Ice Cold (An MMA Stepbrother Romance) (18 page)

“Ok, thanks,” I mumbled, and the girl rushed off.

Wandering through the halls, I came across Mr. Andrews once I finally found the entrance hall, after at least fifteen minutes of wandering.

“Ah, welcome back Miss Ressler. Dinner is about to be served, I’ll take you in to the dining room now if you’d like.”

“Thanks, Mr. Andrews,” I replied. “I wasn’t able to find Kiegan outside. I told a girl, and she told me not to worry, that Kiegan goes off on his own sometimes.”

Mr. Andrews sighed. “Yes, I’m sorry you weren’t able to find him. He is a little bit of a free spirit that child. Well, no matter. You’ll be siblings soon enough,  I’m sure you’ll get to know each other very shortly.”

With that I was led once again through the maze of halls, to a dining room with a huge table, rectangular and big enough for at least a dozen people. It was set for four, and I noticed Mr. Andrews subtly removing the cutlery from one of the spots. I supposed Kiegan must have been expected for dinner.

I sat down at one of the seats and a couple minutes later my mother came in, followed by a man with hair that was just starting to grey at the temples but was still thick. He had one of those chiselled faces that you knew must have been good looking years ago, and a confidence that made him seem younger. It was a face I’d seen quite a few times in newspapers and magazines, but it was still strange to meet Elton Hunt in person.

“Ah, you must be Tina, it’s lovely to meet you,” Elton Hunt greeted me like I was an old friend, holding his arms out. I went forward cautiously, and he took me by the shoulders and kissed my cheek gently.

“It’s very nice to meet you as well, sir,” I replied.

“Please, please, call me Elton. After all, we’re basically family now. You’re welcome to call me dad if you want too, but I’d understand if you don’t.”

“Ok, thanks Elton,” I replied with a nervous smile. Was I seriously on first name basis with one of the most powerful men in the country?

“Alright, let’s get down to dinner, shall we? I’m starving,” he added, sitting down. Like clockwork, a second or two later a couple of waiters came out with plates of salad as an entrée. I looked down at the four forks set next to the plates and remembered my mom telling me to start on the outside and work my way in.

“So Tina, your mom and I were talking about your education. She tells me you’re quite the good student.”

I nodded, my mouth full. Swallowing quickly, I replied, “well my grades are alright, I guess.”

“While modesty is a virtue my dear, honesty is important as well. You were the top student at your school last year.”

“I was, yeah,” I replied, and I could feel a blush crawling up my face. I wasn’t used to being the centre of attention. Usually I tried to blend into the background and not draw attention to myself.

“Well, we’ve been discussing it,” Elton continued. “Since it’s the beginning of the school year, we think it would be good if you could join the Moreton Academy this year. I’ve spoken to the admissions people, and while you would have to work hard to make up for the two weeks you’ve missed already, I’m sure you’d be able to catch up with the work no problem.”

The Moreton Academy? As in, the most prestigious private school in Boston? It was rumoured that ninety percent of graduates from there went on to the Ivy League.

“Wait,
that
Moreton Academy?” I asked. Of course it was
that
academy. After all, this was a family that was used to the best of the best. My mom shot daggers at me with her eyes, but Elton just laughed.

“Yes, that one. The Hunt family has been attending for over two hundred years.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say,” I almost whispered.

“Thank you. You want to say thank you,” my mom said, and I nodded.

“Yes, of course. Thank you, Elton.” Again I could feel embarrassment crawling through me. Why couldn’t I have been born with my mom’s perfect social grace, instead of being completely awkward.

“Not a problem. You’re a part of this family now, Tina. The Moreton Academy will be honoured to have you.”

It all felt so completely unreal. Dinner passed by in a blur. I remembered the food being amazing, Elton Hunt being way nicer than I expected, and being thrilled at the end of the night when we were piling back into the car to head back to Boston that I hadn’t made any major screw ups that I knew of.

It felt strange, but I was actually excited about this new change in my life. I was going to go to a great school, one of the best in the country. I was going to have a dad, for the first time in my life, and he was actually really nice. I was going to live in a huge house. It was all going to be amazing. Little did I know how wrong I was.

As I found out really quickly, the Hunt family moved
fast
. With everything they did. They were not time wasters, and literally the weekend after the dinner at the estate my mom told me that everything had been sorted and I was starting at the Moreton Academy on Monday.

“Wait, already?”

“Yes, absolutely. The school year has already started and Elton doesn’t want you getting further behind than you have to.”

“Oh, ok.”

“I went out today and bought you your new uniform, you’ll have to wear it at school from now on.”

My mom placed a shopping bag on the bed. “I know this is going to take some getting used to, but believe me honey, it’s going to be for the best.”

“I know mom. Thanks,” I replied. She left me alone and I dug through the bag. I had never owned clothes that nice before in my life. My mom had bought me four black and red blazers, five white blouses to go underneath it and three pairs of black and red skirts. A few pairs of matching socks and some black shoes sealed the deal. I didn’t have to try any of them on, I knew my mom had a great eye for sizing people up and I knew it was all going to fit.

As Monday arrived and the car came to pick me up to take me to school, I realized just how nervous I was. This was totally new to me. Was I going to fit in? Of course I wasn’t. This school was for the rich and famous, for the intellectual elite, for the people who had houses bigger than my old school. For people like the Hunt family. Not for people like me, who never really went hungry but also didn’t go out to eat for dinner very often because it was too expensive. It wasn’t a place for people who shopped at the thrift store.

We drove in silence. I looked out the window at the leaves, withering on the branches before falling to the ground. I kind of felt like the same thing was happening to me: I was curling up and falling away from the tree that had held me my whole life, down to the new ground, to new experiences.

Drawing my blazer closer to me, I threw those thoughts out of my head. Everything was going to be fine.

Pulling up to the Moreton Academy, it looked exactly the way I thought it would. A giant red brick building with a clocktower on the top and ivy climbing the walls dominated the landscape, surrounded by perfectly manicured lawns interspersed with paths on which small groups of students wandered, giggling and laughing like they didn’t have anything in the world to worry about.

The driver pulled up to the curb.

“You’re to go to the headmaster’s office, Ms. Ressler.”

“Thanks,” I croaked, not realizing how dry my throat was. Looking around at all these new students, my new classmates, I felt like I wanted to cry. All the girls were absolutely gorgeous, thin, confident, everything I wasn’t. The guys were smoking hot and fit, the bar to make the sports teams here must have been incredible.

I left the warm comfort of the car and grabbed my bag, then hurried towards the main building, staring at the ground, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone. A group of girls strolled past me, like they didn’t have a care in the world, giggling at something. I hoped it wasn’t me they were giggling at.

Making my way through the building I followed the signs to the headmaster’s office. Luckily,  it wasn’t far. There were people inside the building too, and even though I didn’t look at them, I could just tell they were watching me.

It was such a relief when the door to the office area closed behind me and the sounds of the school were suddenly shut out, only a dim hum in the background.

“Yes?” asked a smart looking secretary in her 50s, a few strands of her greying hair popping through the lenses of her glasses.

“Hi. Um, I’m supposed to see the headmaster, I think. Tina Ressler.”

“Of course. You’re expected. Please go through to his office now,” she replied, motioning with her head to a door over her left shoulder. I got up and moved tentatively towards the door. Was I supposed to knock first? To be polite? I rapped the wood twice lightly before opening the door, peering inside, hoping I wasn’t going to get yelled at for interrupting anything.

Instead, I found a plump woman with white hair and a cherubic face looking down at some papers. She looked up with a smile when I entered.

“Ah, you must be Tina,” she greeted me, motioning with a hand that I should sit down in one of the seats in front of her desk.

“Hello, Mrs. MacKilley,” I replied shyly, sitting on the edge of the chair. I pressed my knees together and held my hands in my lap.

“I have your class schedule here for you. I’ve gone and seen all of your teachers and let them know about your situation. Luckily you’re transferring early enough in the school year. There will be some work for you to catch up on, of course, but your grades at your old school were good enough that I’m not extremely worried.”

“Thank you,” I replied. I was still worried, but Mrs. MacKilley actually seemed… nice!

“Now, your first class will be science, with Mr. Morris. It would have been good if you could have gotten a  tour of the school before-hand, but of course, with such short notice it wasn’t possible. His classroom is nearby, you just go down the hall to the left when you leave my office and his classroom is the fourth door on the right.”

“Ok, perfect.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone to ask about the rest of your classes. Do you have any other questions?”

“No, I’m sure I can figure it out,” I replied with what I hoped was a smile. I wasn’t about to admit to the principal – no, headmaster – that I actually did have a million questions, but none of them were things I felt I could ask.

“Alright, well then welcome to Moreton Academy, Tina.” Mrs. MacKilley rose, and I took the hint and rose as well, shaking her outstretched hand. She had a warm, firm grip, the kind that made you feel welcome, the kind that made you feel safe. Maybe this place wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

* * *

A few minutes after I left a bell rang, and I took that to mean it was time to go to class. The hallways were suddenly flooded with students, each and every one of them dressed in the red and black colours of the school. On the bright side, at least I wasn’t going to stick out that much, I was dressed the same way as everyone else.

I made my way down the hallway, sticking to the sides, trying to avoid everyone, then counted four doors to the right. I entered a science lab that made my old school’s science classroom look like a hovel.

Instead of normal desks, the room was set up in a set of large tables, each with a sink and two gas lighters in the centre, along with four power outlets. Two microscopes sat in the centre of each desk, protected by plastic covers. The walls were lined with posters of the human body, the muscular system, the skeletal system, a large chart of the periodic table and random other science-related diagrams. At the front of the classroom was a Smartscreen, and sitting at a computer off to the side of it was a tall, balding man who looked more like a bodybuilder than a science teacher.

As other students began to file in, they all sat down at the tables. I had no idea where to go, so I went up to the man that I assumed had to be the teacher.

“Excuse me, Mr. Morris?” I asked shyly. He turned around on his chair and looked at me. He was so tall that even while sitting down he barely had to look up to make eye contact with me.

“Yes?” he asked in a deep baritone.

“I’m Tina Ressler. I’m new here. I’m wondering, umm, where should I sit?” I asked.

“Ah, yes, of course. Welcome, Tina. Feel free to take a seat wherever. I don’t have a set seating plan. Welcome to my classroom,” he gestured. That was my worst fear. I was hoping he would have a seat specially picked out for me, where I would have to sit no matter what.

Instead, I made my way back to the tables, clutching my books against my chest like they could protect me. I looked over at the tables. The two furthest back were filled with guys, none of whom looked like they especially cared about their science grades. That was definitely out. Another had a whole bunch of girls playing with their phones and whispering to each other in such a tightly knit circle that I automatically sensed my presence wouldn’t be appreciated.

To a table on my left, however, at the front of the class was just a group of three girls. They were talking to each other, but I made my way over and went to the furthest possible side of the table.

“Mind if I sit here?” I asked, motioning at the chair furthest from them.

“Sure,” one of them answered, then the three went back to their conversation. A minute later, when Mr. Morris started his lecture, my initial trepidation at finding a place to sit was forgotten as I got started on my first ever class at Moreton Academy.

I had my notebook out, ready to take notes. I was going to take advantage of this opportunity to get a great education; I wasn’t going to squander it.

“Now, the other day, I introduced you to the concept of ‘ions’,” Mr. Morris started. I breathed a sigh of relief. This wasn’t some super hard advanced level stuff, I had started reading about ions in the science book I got at my old school as well. “Ions are atoms that have a charge – either a positive charge or a negative charge. An atom is an ion if the number of protons and the number of electrons are not equal. If an ion has more protons than electrons, it is a positive ion, and if it has more electrons than protons, it is a negative ion.”

The class continued for a while as Mr. Morris drew diagrams on the smartboard to explain the differences between the different types of ions. He explained how some atoms could gain electrons and others lose them, and eventually he asked the class a question.

“So does anyone know what elements cannot become ions?”

I knew this from reading my science textbook a week or so earlier, but as I looked around the classroom, no one was putting their hand up. I raised mine slowly, almost hoping it wouldn’t be seen.

“The noble gasses?” I answered, making it sound like a question, even though I knew it was right.

“Yes, thank you Tina,” Mr. Morris answered as a bunch of snickers came from the table of jocks at the back of the class. I tried to ignore them, even though I felt the blush rise up my face. Why did I answer that? The last thing I wanted right now was to be noticed. One of the girls sitting next to me did shoot me a nice smile though. I smiled back at her, then went back to my notes.

About an hour or so later the bell rang, signalling the end of the class. In a panic, I realized I didn’t know where I was going next. I took out my schedule and saw I was supposed to go to Mrs. Anthony’s math class.

“Excuse me, do you know where Mrs. Anthony’s class is?” I asked the girl next to me who had smiled at me, who was now packing up her things.

“Sure. Go up the stairs at the end of the hall, take a left, and it’s room number 211.”

“Awesome, thanks,” I replied, throwing her a grateful look.

“No problem.”

I packed up my things and headed towards the door. As I looked up, I saw the most gorgeous guy I’d ever laid eyes on. His blonde hair was dishevelled, but in that sexy just-got-out-of-bed way. The blazer he wore couldn’t hide the fact that under those clothes was definitely a tight body that worked out, his cheekbones looked like they’d been taken straight off a statue and his blue eyes glistened as he looked at me. I felt a tug in my stomach, an unfamiliar feeling, an attraction to this guy. I wanted to grab him, take him into the hallway and press myself against him, have his mouth on mine, have his hands roam my body. I wanted him to take me, right then and there.
Holy shit Tina, get it together
, I scolded myself, forcing myself back to reality.

Was he looking at me? Oh my God, he was. And he was holding the classroom door open for me, while I stood there gaping at him like an idiot. Jesus, what was I doing?

I scurried past him.

“Thanks,” I muttered as he held the door open for me.